1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device which indicates when the turn signal indicator of an automobile is activated, and particularly, such a device which gives an audio alert signal to the driver of the automobile when the turn signal indicator is activated.
2. Background Discussion
Most automobiles are equipped with turn signal indicators which are manually actuated by the driver pressing a lever next to the steering wheel either up or down to turn on a right or left turn signal indicator, depending on the maneuver the driver intends to make. The conventional turn signal indicators that are standard on most automobiles include lights on the dash board which blink on and off when the turn signal indicator has been actuated. When the driver makes a wide turn, a mechanical control device automatically deactivates the turn signal indicator.
The problem with these conventional devices, however, is that the turn must be sufficiently wide for the mechanical control device to deactivate the turn signal indicator. If the driver only makes a shallow angle turn, for example, when switching lanes on a highway, the mechanical device does not automatically deactivate the turn signal indicator. Consequently, if the driver does not notice the light blinking on the dash board, he travels down the highway with his turn signal indicator flashing on and off, even though he is not about to make a turning maneuver. This not only annoys other motorists who are following the driver, but can result in an accident by giving other motorists inaccurate information about the intentions of the driver.